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Patented Nov. 9, 1897.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WVILLIAM WV. REYNOLDS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SIGN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 593,433, dated November9, 1897.

Application filed February 15, 1897. Serial No. 623,910. (No model.)

T0 at whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM W. REY- NOLDS, of New York city, in thecounty and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Sign,ofwhich the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to an improvement in signs which will make themvisible both by night and by day and through a-larger angle than theordinary fixed signs.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of referenceindicatecorresponding parts in both the views.

Figure 1 is an elevation of one form of construction of the sign; andFig. 2 is a horizontal section of the same, taken on the line 2 2 ofFig. 1.

The sign consists, essentially, of a hollow body having the face next tothe observer formed of opaque material and of a light-absorbing or darkcolor and having the characters of the sign out through the same. Italso has a background located within or back of the surface which istoward the observer, and which is of a light-reflecting color ormaterial. This sign is to be illuminated at night by lamps placed withinthe sign, but invisible directly from the outside. The illumination isto be by reflected light from the background. I

In the drawings the outer wall of the sign is represented by A and thebackground by B. The outer wall, or the surface toward the observer, asshown in Fig. 1, has the letters H. O. outlined thereon. These areoutlined in white paint or other light-colored material and have aseries of openings E cut through the wall to the interior. Theseopenings E, as shown in the drawings, are circular and are arrangedclosely together, in themselves outlining the letters. The surfaces Fwhich lie within the outlines of the letters and between the circles Eare, as stated, painted white or otherwise made so that they willreflect the light readily. The background B has its surface paintedwhite or otherwise prepared so that it will reflect the light readily.

This sign, as seen at a distance in the daytime, will appear to be asolid block letter, the circles E not showing, as the background will beof the same color as the surface F lying between the circles.

The interior of the sign is provided with lamps L, so arranged that theyare not di-' rectly visible from the outside and so that they will casttheir light upon the background B. At night this sign will appear as aseries of illuminated circles arranged so as to outline the letters orcharacters of the sign. The

light issuing from the circles E will be that reflected from thebackground B.

The sign shown in the drawings is one which is adapted to be mountedupon a central pivot D and to be turned thereon by the influence of thewind. It is provided for this purpose with a vane, the inner portion ofwhich is shown at G. The body of the sign is made long and comparativelynarrow. This body portion might be mounted a little to one side of thecenter, and thus do away with the vane. The pivot D is mounted in atower H or any other suitable device for holding it erect. The lowerportion is floored and is provided with openings I in its bottom, sothat the water which enters in rain or snow storms may pass freely out.Strips J are also provided for deflecting the water toward theseopenings. This prevents water getting into the bearing upon which thesign turns and the possibility of the bearing being frozen up in coldweather, so that the sign cannot turn. It is not necessary in broadlycarrying out my invention that it be mounted to turn as described. Myinvention may be embodied in signs substantially of any form-as, forinstance, rectangular-or made to surround square chimneys or to coverany form of surface desired.

The central feature of my invention is the hollow sign having alight-reflecting background and an opaque wall located in front thereof,through which the characters of the sign are out.

In case it is so desired the entire surface of the letters may be cutout of the face of the sign, so that they will appear the same day ornight. The plan described of cutting out circles within the letters andpainting the remaining parts white makes a sign which varies in itsappearance night and day.

Having thus described my invention, I

f the rear Wall of the sign being of a light-re-' claim as new anddesire to secure by Letters Patent- 4 1. A sign, consisting of a hollowbody having a light-absorbing outer face withthe signcharacters outlinedthereon by a light-reflecting material and having a series ofcloselyadjaeent holes through theouter face of the body of eachcharacter, and the front face of fleeting character, substantially asdescribed.

2. A sign, consisting of a hollow body having a light-absorbing outerface with the signcliaracters outlined thereon by a light-reflectingmaterial and having a series of closelyadjacent holes through the outerface of the body'of each character, and the front face of the rear wallof the sign being of a light-reflecting character, and means forilluminating the interior of the sign, substantially as described. Y

3 A sign, consisting of a hollow body having a central longitudinalpartition, the sides of which are provided with a light-reflectingsurface, the outer face of the body or case having a light-absorbingsurface with the sign-characters outlined thereon by a lightreflectingmaterial and having a series of contiguous holes through the outer wallsWithin the characters, and means for illuminating the interior of thesign by night whereby the characters appear with a solid body by day andare outlined by the perforations at night, substantially as described. v

4. A- sign, consisting of a hollow body mounted to turn upon a verticalpivot, a vane attached thereto to control its position; said body orcase having a central longitudinal partition, the sides of which areprovided with a light-reflecting surface, the outer face of the body orcase having a light-absorbing surface with the sign-characters outlinedthereon by a light-reflecting material and having a series of contiguousholes through the outer walls within the characters, and means forilluminating the interior of the sign by night whereby the charactersappear with a solid body by day and are outlined by the perforations bynight, substantially as described. I

5. A sign, consisting of a hollow body mounted to turn upon a verticalpivot, a vane attached thereto to controlits position, said body or casehaving a bottom sloping toward the pivot and provided Withdrainage-outlets and deflecting-strips which prevent water from enteringthe pivot, having also a central longitudinal partition, the sides ofwhich are provided with a light-reflecting surface, the outer face ofthe body or case having a lightabsorbing surface and with thesign-characters outlined thereon by a light-reflecting material andhaving a series of adjacent holes through the outer wallswithin thecharacters, and means for illuminating the interior of the sign,substantially as described.

6. A sign consisting of a hollow body, a case having a centrallongitudinalpartition, the sidesof which are provided with alight-reflecting surface, the outer face of the body or case having alight-absorbing surface with the sign-characters outlined thereon by alight-reflecting material and having a series of holes through the outerwalls and within the characters, means for illuminating the interior ofthe sign at night, a vertical pivot'for supporting said case, a vaneattached to the case to control its position, a bottom for said casesloping toward the pivot and provided with drainage-outlets anddeflecting-strips for carrying off water and a hood attached to thepivot-post above the bottom of the case and protecting thepivot-bearing, substantially as described.

'7. A sign consisting of ahollow body which provides a chamber, thefront of the body having letters or other characters delineated thereonand orificed, the orifices being dis posed in correspondence with thedelineated letters, the back of the chamber having a surface inconsonance with the lettered front, the said surface appearing throughthe apertures and presenting with the front surface practicallycontinuous letters, the chamber of the body, in front of its backsurface having lamps serving to illuminate the chamber at night so thatthe apertures. form illuminated letters, substantially as described.

\VILLIAM W. REYNOLDS.

Witnesses:

JAMES M. HENLEY, H. L. REYNOLDS.

